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Vaginal Birth After Cesarean Report Available on March 10

Vaginal birth after cesarean (VBAC) is the delivery of a baby through the vagina after a previous cesarean delivery. For most of the 20th century, clinicians believed that once a woman had undergone a cesarean, all of her future pregnancies required delivery by that procedure as well. In the 1980s, vaginal birth after cesarean (VBAC) also began to be considered a viable option for these women. Since 1996, however, VBAC rates in the United States have consistently declined, while cesarean delivery rates have been steadily rising. What accounts for these changing practice patterns? An improved understanding of the clinical risks and benefits of both procedures, and how these risks interact with legal, ethical, and economic forces to shape provider and patient choices about VBAC, may have important implications for health services planning and informed decisionmaking.

An impartial, independent, Consensus Development Conference panel will hold a press telebriefing to discuss their findings and implications for the public following the NIH Consensus Development Conference on Vaginal Birth After Cesarean (VBAC): New Insights, March 8-10, 2010. The panel’s statement will incorporate their assessment of the available evidence from a systematic literature review, expert presentations, and audience input to inform patient and provider decisions regarding VBAC.

I suppose one of the main reasons why VBAC is in decline is the historical precedent set by the medical profession in denying all those with c sections the chance to have a vaginal birth over so many years.
When the policy was amended the initial upsurge in VBACs could well be attributed to mothers who desperately wanted this the first time around.
After the initial uptake, which may have been influenced more by personal longing than any medical advice, the rate declined as more hard headed objective decision making kicked in on the parts on mothers to be.

Thanks for an informative site. I used to doesn't even know what is VBAC stands for. As far as I know thanks to cesarean delivery my friend has a healthy baby. She was giving birth for a while in the hospital and the doctor didn't even know the baby's umbilical cord was too short until a C-section. Thanks for share.

I think if the woman is healthy the chances of a good outcome with a VBAC is great. There are so many more risks with major surgery like a cesarean. I think so many woman have been told it's the only option, once you've had a c section, it's all you can do. I am glad to see that the medical community is starting to look at other options.

I fully support this kind of practice and article regarding birth delivery. Although the medical profession has some amazing, life saving birthing procedures I also feel they disempower woman and force us into unnatural and unnecessary practices for there own convenience.

It has been shown that also the reported cases of mrsa infection, the staph infection super-bug that pregnant mothers catch during cesarean delivery are thru the roof (up nearly 10x) in the last 5 years. Antibiotics that treated the staph and cured it just a few years ago is no longer working. The best course of action is prevention by using disinfectant and antibacterial soaps often during pregnancy and always while at the hospital.

My wife went two weeks over due with our first child and when we went to the hospital for an ultrasound the doctor was pretty much ready to do a c section right there throwing out phrases like fetal demise and still born, luckily we had a mid-wife and not a doctor so we did not get the c section and the next day our perfectly healthy baby boy was born, it’s my opinion that doctors and hospital’s often do things for their own conveyance and not for the good patients.

My sister wanted to use VBAC as an option with her last baby but her doctor was reluctant saying there were potential health complications for the baby and mother. Needless to say she went with the doctor's recommendation and now the available information is pointing to VBAC being a viable option. It seems information getting to doctors is sporadic at best.

I had VBAC with my second child after I had a cesarean delivery with my first baby. At first I was a bit sceptical because I heard most people never do vaginal birth again after they had their first cesarean. However, for me, the vaginal birth was so much easier then having a cesarian procedure and I recovered a lot faster afterwards.

I go for thumbs up for VBCA movement, women should be encourage in natural delivery to encourage them to be health conscious during pregnancy and not to rely on the CA procedures, am going to share this movement in our place too

I've always been intrigued by this concept--that women who have a C-section once can't give birth naturally thereafter. It's good to learn that is not always the case and that there are post C-section options to give birth to a baby vaginally.

So glad that the NIH was willing to take a look at the data on VBAC. Also glad to see that ACOG changed it's reccommendations. I just hope that this information/policy makes it's way down to hospitals and practices so that women have the opportunity to truly make an informed decision about VBAC. t

This is great news. The number of C Sections continue to rise and in the past, having a C section meant you would have to have another C Section if you got pregnant
again. I am glad Medicine is offering this alternative
to women and stopping all the Surgical interventions they seem to be drawn to.

Thank you for this article, there really is not enough information about this issue. Many people think that a vaginal birth is not a possibility after a C section, but your article explains it succinctly.
Best wishes,
Ruth

This is the perfect blog for anyone who wants to know about this topic. You know so much its almost hard to argue with you (not that I really would want...HaHa). You definitely put a new spin on a subject that's been written about for years. Great stuff, just great!

i had c-section with my boy. even after having 2 heart operations and a heart condiction my doc decided on natural vaginal birth. luckly my boy was breech. this probably saved my life. so, if u have any heart problems dont even think about having vaginal birth.after i had my boy my doc admits that was good for me to have it c-section. be carefull ladies.

Well some women just don't want to bear the pain by delivering their baby on a vaginal procedure as this procedure is could be really painful I think this is one of the reason why there is a certain increase on the number of giving birth through cesarean.

Hi Sharon,
My wife delivered premie twins by cessarian back in 1996. She was still given the option of having a VBAC when we had our son two years ago. I guess if you've had two cessarians, you can't do a VBAC... is that correct?

Its always amazing that you don't know what you don't know! I never knew anything about VBAC. I would have thought that the ceasarean delivery rates would have dropped with better medical care. But it seems not. Good work with this article. Thanks.

I fully support this kind of practice and article regarding birth delivery. Although the medical profession has some amazing, life saving birthing procedures I also feel they disempower woman and force us into unnatural and unnecessary practices for there own convenience.

Thanks for this information. I believe that the stats between having a 2nd C section and having a VBAC will continually change over the years. Factor in the health and size of both mom &amp; baby, the lifestyles, &amp; recommendations from the professionals

I've been watching "One Born Every Minute" as I am planning to have another baby because my first is via C section because of umbilical cord prolapse. This 32 year old mommy from the series will be expecting her twins she has gone C section with her previous baby and she successfully delivered the twins because she carefully watch her weight gain and food she eats so it won't affect the weight of her babies. It is really possible..

Antibiotics that treated the staph and cured it just a few years ago is no longer working. The best course of action is prevention by using disinfectant and antibacterial soaps often during pregnancy and always while at the hospital.

This 32 year old mommy from the series will be expecting her twins she has gone C section with her previous baby and she successfully delivered the twins because she carefully watch her weight gain and food she eats so it won’t affect the weight of her babies